Some things never change

Bubbles: Silicon Alley Insider editor and former Wall Street man Henry Blodget has a few reasons why the street never sees the pins before the bubble pops.
Pirates: The world has evolved quite a bit since Caesar caught and crucified pirates, but pirates still have the advantage of vast seas and few enforcers.
Talk radio: The Republican party may have learned the hard way that the far right can’t elect a president alone, but when will talk radio tone down its gospel?

Some things do

Women in national security: Barack Obama’s national security team is lead and staffed by highly qualified women. If all his appointees are confirmed and serve one term, says A.J. Rossmiller, “they will match the entire combined tenure of women in these positions in the history of the country.”
Detroit in American imagination: Froma Harrop worries that today’s musicians aren’t serenading their little deuce coupes (rap apparently doesn’t count). When did Detroit lose hearts and minds? 
Storytelling: Sam Leith takes the contrary view on video games and social networking, claiming they fuel rather than diminish our desire for narrative.

*Close-up of a Chrysler courtesy zizzybaloobah.